The present invention relates to vehicle suspension systems and, more particularly, to a vehicle suspension system capable of manually adjusting the height of the vehicle.
As is known in the art, vehicle height adjusting systems are frequently employed to maintain the vertical or level position of a vehicle body relative to the road surface. These systems typically utilize a complicated series of electronics and devices to enable the vehicle to be adjusted for improved driving performance, ride comfort, and appearance. Hydraulic struts or pneumatic bladders are commonly used in the vehicle suspension system to achieve the desired performance or aesthetic results. As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, these hydraulic struts or pneumatic bladders require various compressors and/or pumps to operate and, thus, increase the complexity and cost of manufacturing such systems.
Moreover, the application of known vehicle height adjusting systems to off-road uses may be limited in that the operational life of conventional height adjusting systems may be reduced due to the off-road environmental conditions. In particular, the severe shock and vibration generated in off-road travel may be transmitted throughout the height adjusting system, thereby causing excessive wear in the pumps and/or compressors. Additionally, off-road contaminants, such as dirt and dust, may cause wear or failure in the adjusting system.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a vehicle height adjusting system capable of adjusting simply and conveniently the height of the vehicle without the need for complicated series of electronics and devices. Furthermore, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a vehicle height adjusting system capable of withstanding the shock, vibration, and contamination common in off-road applications.
In accordance with the broad teachings of this invention, an adjustable suspension having an advantageous construction is provided. The adjustable suspension includes a first and second pair of transversely disposed leaf springs supporting the vehicle. Each leaf spring includes a threaded aperture formed therein. A first and second threaded, rotatable, spindle extends through the apertures of the first and second pair of leaf springs, respectively, for adjusting the curvature of the first and second pair of leaf springs. The adjustable suspension further includes actuating means for rotatably driving at least one of the spindles and mode selection means for selectively engaging the actuation means with at least one of the spindle in response to a preferred operating mode. Such arrangement facilitates manual height adjustment of the vehicle suspension.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.